What Happens Next
by AustralianBroadwayBaby
Summary: Set 6 months after Season 2 finishes. Is Jimmy still in prison? Is Derek in love with Karen or Ivy? Is Ivy keeping the baby? Is HitList & Bombshell still on Broadway? What happens when due to an unexpected accident someone from the past returns? What happens when a secret from someone's past is found out? Involves Smash characters from season 1 and 2 and a few new ones.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note: **

**6 months after the Season 2 finial, this is how I think Season 3 should have happened. **

**Hope you all enjoy. **

**This is all my own work except for the songs and the characters. I do not own Smash and if I did I would still be making episodes.**

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><p><span><strong>We've got tonight<strong>** - Season 3 introduction song**

_INTRODUCTION -15 seconds_

_MICHAEL & KAREN PERFORMING ON STAGE at rehearsal at (NYTW) New York Theatre Workshop._

(Ivy goes to theatre to see Derek & sees that Karen and Derek still have feelings for each other, see Derek kiss Karen on forehead good luck before she goes on stage)

(Jimmy out of prison to see Karen not realising till she sings song that she has feelings for Derek)

(Julia tells Michael she may be pregnant)

(Last 5 seconds of intro we see Karen and Michael on stage ready to perform number)

_MICHAEL_

I know it's late, (Michael walks to stage)

I know your weary (Looks at Julia)

I know your plans don't include me (Ivy entering theatre to find Derek)

KAREN

Still here we are (Karen walks to stage)

Both of us lonely (Jimmy walking to the theatre)

Longing for shelter from all that we see (Derek looking at Karen with love)

_ON STAGE_

MICHAEL

Why should we worry?

No one will care, girl

KAREN

Look at the stars now, so far away

We've got tonight

Who needs tomorrow?

We've got tonight babe, why don't you stay? (Ivy find Derek, looking in love with Karen)

_IN THEATRE_

(Ivy finds Derek, realises he still loves Karen)

IVY

Deep in my soul

I've been so lonely

All of my hopes so fading away

And I've longed for love

(Walks away)

Like everyone else does

I know I'll keep searching after today

_ON STAGE_

MICHAEL (to Julia)

So there it is, girl

We've got it all now

KAREN (to Derek)

And here we are, babe

What do u say?

BOTH

We've got tonight

Who needs tomorrow?

We've got tonight, babe, why don't we stay? (To Derek and Julia's face)

_AT THEATRE_

JIMMY

I know it's late and I know your weary (walk into theatre to see Karen)

I know your plans don't include me (sees Karen looking lustful at Derek while on stage) (helping with choreography)

IVY

Still here we are

IVY AND JIMMY

Both of us lonely, (Ivy walking out)

Both of us lonely (Jimmy storms off/walking out, bumps into Ivy)

KAREN

We've got tonight

Who needs tomorrow?

DEREK

Let's make it last

JULIA

Let's find a way

MICHAEL (on stage)

Turn out the light

IVY (to Jimmy while helping him up and walking off with him)

Oh, come take my hand now

JIMMY and IVY

We've got tonight babe, why don't we stay

KAREN AND MICHAEL (on stage)

We've got tonight babe, why don't we stay

_**SMASH CREDITS -SEASON 3**_

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><p><em><strong>Please DM me or comment would love to hear what you think. <strong>_

_**I'm from Australia and we only just finished Smash season 2 on Cable a month ago so sorry I'm a bit behind with the fan fiction.**_

_**This will be continued I just need to get to a computer to download the rest as can't do it from my iPad. **_


	2. Chapter 2

**I want to thank HerSpark for helping me with these next few chapters, and Barkateer1Fan for the encouragement. **

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><p>Chapter Two – Two months after the Tonys<p>

The sunlight warming her skin drew Karen out of her slumber. She didn't want to open her eyes just yet though, one too many glasses of wine the night before had left an ache behind her temples, and opening her eyes now to face the day was sure to have her head pounding. She turned over slowly to protect her delicate head from the direct light she could feel spreading into her room. She cracked her eyes open a little, only to have them shoot wide open and her body leap back towards the edge of the bed in shock.

This was definitely not her room.

The still body next to her in a bed that was not her own began to stir. Memories of the night before flooded the forefront of her mind. But what had started as a scare burnt down to recognition inside of her and a soft smile graced her face. She was pulling together the events of the night previous and felt herself sinking back into the cozy mattress below in the joy.

The figure next to her groaned and turned towards her, a strong arm wrapped itself around her middle pulling her in close.

"Morning darling," the husky British voice tickled her neck as the man next to her laced kisses across her shoulder and down to her collar bone.

"Morning," she whispered back, still a bit it awe of where she'd woken up and more importantly who she'd woken up with. She needed to speak, she needed to say something to stop his movements. But she really wanted to let him continue, if he was planning another round of what they'd shared last night, she definitely wanted more.

But Karen was beginning to panic. They'd never done this before, and they shouldn't. She was taken, sort of.

"Derek, stop," she protested trying to make her voice sound fierce but the words came out breathy and delicate. His hands roaming to places she definitely wanted them.

"Are you sure that's what you want?" the British director asked, with a chuckle in his voice. He could feel her body responding to him, moving into him with want. She wasn't responding to her own words either.

His touch felt so good, she never wanted his movements to stop. But the nagging in the back of her mind wouldn't cease. "Shit," she pulled away from him and he seemed surprised. "We can't, you can't do that and expect me to think straight." Karen accused, pulling the loose cream bed sheet tightly around her body. "Derek, last night was…"

"Mindblowing," he supplied for her when she hesitated.

"Even if you do say so yourself," Karen scoffed at his self-assuredness and stood from the bed. "It was ridiculous, amazing, thrilling…mind-blowing, all of the above. But a mistake."

Karen was scrambling to find her underwear and dress to slip on, God knows where her shoes and hand bag were in Derek grand, beautiful apartment. Karen vaguely remembered a scene they'd shared on the large black couch in his longue. It had involved Karen wearing nothing much but her tall black stilettos and lacey panties.

She sighed at the thoughts and turned to face Derek who had swung his legs over the edge of the bed after she'd made her hasty retreat.

"Karen, don't do this," Derek started, he'd lost his head last night when this stunning, brunette had kissed him so timidly. She'd been brave and wanting and he'd wanted her from the moment he'd first laid eyes on her nearly three years previously. And she'd kissed him last night and that was it, they were enraptured with each other. He should have known in the harsh light of morning she'd come to her senses.

"I have to go, " she made to leave the bedroom in search of her clothes that had left a trail from the front door to the bedroom but Derek caught her wrist in his large hand. She stopped, but wouldn't look him in the eye. "We need to talk about this I know. But its complicated," she said quietly to him finally looking him in the eye. "We'll talk Derek I promise but I have to go."

"We'll talk," he agreed, but he wasn't ready to watch he run away from him yet. He pulled her body to his and kissed her heavily and deeply. She folded into him and let him taste her mouth with his tongue. He moaned into her mouth, remember exactly where these kind of action had lead them the previous night.

"I need to go," Karen finally pulled away with one last soft peck on his lips. Then she flew from the room.

It had been two months since Derek had last seen Karen, two months since he'd found out about Ivy and their baby and told an entire room of theatre royalty that he loved the blond woman, even though he wasn't sure he did. Two months since Karen had told him they needed space, to move on with their perspective partners and get over all the drama that had happened.

Then out of the blue she'd called. And he'd felt that familiar flush of heat through his skin at the mere sound of her voice. She asked him to meet for a drink, to talk business she'd said. Well they'd done that. And then they'd done this.

God they were in a fine mess.

But he wouldn't have changed a moment. Derek had always known there was just something about Karen Cartwright, her entire being sung out to him and he struggled to resist. But he was with Ivy, they were expecting a child.

He's really fucked things up this time.

…

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><p><strong>Would like to know what you all think abut this at the moment. <strong>

**It is going to be continued just been flat out with my friends wedding (She is getting married in two weeks.) **

**I really enjoy hearing from you to find out your views on this story. **


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own smash or the characters. **

**Hope you like this chapter. Again thanks to HerSpark for the help. **

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><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

**The Next Morning**

Karen quickly exited Derek's apartment lost completely in her own head, running over and over the scenes from the night before. How had it even happened? Sure her and Derek had always played this flirty game of wills (no pun intended) but they'd never actually crossed over the invisible line drawn between them. Karen considered Derek a close friend – when he wasn't being a jackass, okay even then – she was terrified inside that this could ruin them.

Distracted by the war of thoughts in her head, Karen sped away from the apartment building without even a glance around the open street. If she had looked over from putting one foot in front of the other in her hasty escape, she would have seen eyes of a familiar blonde glaring at her from across the street.

When she arrived back at her apartment Karen head straight for her bedroom. Normally she would have been worried about getting caught doing a 'walk of shame' by her best friend and roommate Ana. But Ana was still on tour with the musical Once, a role Derek had helped her land after her royally screwed things up on Hit List just before the Tony's. After firing Daisy, Derek had of course invited Ana back to her role as the Diva, but the young girl had moved on and thought it best to keep a bit of space for the time being. She was enjoying life and tour and Skyped Karen a couple of times a week. Karen missed having her chirpy bestie around, but it was times like this she longed desperately for her return.

Lying flat out on her back, sprawling across her double bed, Karen was starting to get confused, sad and mostly panicked about her current predicament with Derek.

She still cared enormously for Derek but there was Jimmy...oh Jimmy. She had loved Jimmy once but lately things had changed. And now she felt that though she cared for her currently incarcerated boyfriend, she didn't feel for him the way Jimmy wanted her too. It was more of a lustful infatuation at first, than a long standing relationship. He was a bad boy and intriguing and so very unlike her good girl, Iowa self.

But after Derek declared his love for Ivy, and didn't thank Karen in ANYTHING in his Tony's speech, and started acting all weird with her Karen had felt a bit rejected and abandoned by her director. She'd decided maybe Jimmy was right and Derek only saw her as a shag, so she decided to give them a go, Jimmy was changing but it might have worked out.

She always had feelings for Derek but after the whole Dev drama she decided to 'play it safe' and push the feelings down then along came Jimmy, he had a hold over her, he had manipulated the situation to his advantage while she was still vulnerable, Karen never wanted to jump head first into another relationship, that was one reason why she had not done anything with Derek after Boston, as much as she wanted too, but somehow Jimmy was able to entice her into getting involved, and push away Derek.

Staying away from Derek for the last two months was supposed to give Karen time to think, to let her be herself, let her work properly without the British director. But everything at Hit List reminded her of Derek. Sure he didn't actually come in everyday now the show was up and running, actually he's been MIA for a while after all the Tony drama. But just everything in the musical led back to him…or Kyle. Karen missed her young friend and book writer a lot. His death was shocking and awful, but time made her realize how much she missed his words, his laugh. She was starting to feel very lonely in Hit List without Kyle, Jimmy, Ana and Derek. It was a trap of memories, not all bad, but still she felt caught in a loop of the past.

It was in that moment she decided she needed something new. A new project to begin to fill her days with. It would help her move on and get over certain people entirely. Besides, that a certain someone had already told her he was taking a break from directing. Karen needed to do the opposite. Get work and without him. Prove she had the talent they all claimed she did without Derek there to hold her hand.

Contract renewals for Hit List were due in a matter of weeks and Karen had been contemplating what she should do about it for a while. But now she was clear headed, she needed to get out. That decided, Karen headed to the bathroom for a much needed shower, it was almost ceremonious. She needed to wash everything away and start fresh.

Derek was a problem she couldn't fix right now, so she would push that to the back of her mind. Put it away in a box, until the next step between them came to light. As for Jimmy, well she couldn't process that right now either. She'd have to tell him the truth. But she needed to find the right moment.

While Karen was feeling positive and optimistic for new challenges Derek was also lying out on his bed thinking. He started to smile at the visions of the beautiful brunet girl who graced his sheets just hours earlier. He wished he'd never let her leave that morning.

Derek was pulled from his haze of long legs and sweet moans by a knock at the door. He jumped up hoping his wishes had been granted and maybe Karen had returned to him already…though somewhere he knew this was unlikely.

He was at the door and excitedly pulled it open. His beaming smile went instantly. .

"Ivy?" he said, looking down at the blonde haired girl before him.

"Great to see you too Derek," she replied sarcastically at the look on his face. She knew he didn't like surprised.

"I thought you were out with Bombshell in LA," Derek said quickly, not inviting her inside immediately, before the world he really lived in won out over the fantasies of Karen Cartwright in his head. Derek stepped aside letting Ivy in.

He hoped she didn't notice is odd behavior. But he knew she could tell there was something in the air.

"I missed you" Ivy declared, pulling him into a kiss. Derek's mind immediately comparing the action to those of the shy yet brave and passionate girl he's kissed the night before.

He was in such a mess.

"I missed you too," he replied robotically. "But you should have called, I could have picked you up."

"Its okay it was a last minute decision, we have a bit of time spare and we never get to talk properly on the phone, we're always so busy. I think our baby misses you too," Ivy said in a sickly sweet tone.

Derek felt sick, the harsh light of day finally descending on his actions from the night before. Ivy was pregnant with his child and he had promised to stand by her. The night she had told him and then after the Tony's they had agree to give their relationship another shot. Eight weeks on Derek was miserable on the inside. Sometimes people just aren't compatible, but they were in a relationship and he wouldn't abandon his child.

Guilt rested heavily on his shoulders. He knew inside that he hadn't tried to stop what happened with Karen because even if he had, she would have pulled him in. Karen grasped him, mind, body and soul and last night he had relented. He couldn't make himself stay away from her any longer.

And she had let him, she had enticed him even. It was his every dream in reality.

Derek had been avoiding Hit List and everything about Karen Cartwright, he had purposely ignored her dear friendship to him the night of the Tony's in order to hurt her, to push her away.

But when she had called, when he saw her again in person. He was brought right back to their first true encounter…the night he'd asked her over to his apartment as part of the Marilyn auditions. And she stood there, in nothing but his long sleeved white shirt, and she'd sang to him. How could he resist her any longer? He'd allowed himself to taste her love, to test their bond.

But now he risked losing everything and himself.

He couldn't tell Ivy what had happened, it would be unfair and unhealthy. He just had to make sure it never happened again. And that meant letting Karen go.

Ivy stroked Derek's stubble-covered chin and smiled up at him. She could tell from his stance, his look at her when he opened the door, that something had happened the night before. It could not be a coincidence that Karen Cartwright had swiftly exited those front doors in the early morning looking stunned and disheveled.

But Ivy wouldn't say anything just yet. She wouldn't lose Derek to that whore. He still thought she was pregnant, she had come to deliver her terrible news. She has suffered a miscarriage in LA and their precious baby was gone.

But then she had seen that girl, and Derek's lying, cheating face. And she wanted to hurt the way he kept hurting her.

She wouldn't let on that she knew of his lies and secrets just yet. Oh no, Karen and Derek's deceit would come out when Ivy was ready for it to, and they would pay for their infidelity!

"Let's go and get breakfast," Ivy said cheerfully, "we can catch up properly."

She was an actress, and a good one at that. She could play his game and keep her own secrets until the time was right.

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><p><strong>Please let me know what you think. <strong>

**I wont be posting this next week as I have my Best Friends wedding. **


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